• Replies 7 replies
  • Subscribers 30 subscribers
  • Views 103 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Changes to eating habits.

Racheal

Hi, 

I am looking for some reassurance or tips and advice regarding my (almost) 12 year old son and changes to his diet and eating habits. 
When he was younger he used to happily eat a wide range of fruit and meals. Over the last few months this has steadily changed significantly, he is refusing most fruit, (he will occasionally eat an apple) he will refuse foods and meals he used to consistently eat and tends to eat the same foods repeatedly. Encouraging him to eat breakfast is becoming trickier. He has recently been refusing to eat his lunch at school. He will often eat his packed lunch as soon as he gets home and then his main meal as well as snacks. I try not to put pressure on him but my worry and anxiety means I want him to eat otherwise he will have skipped breakfast then potentially not eat at all until 3:30pm. I worry this is too long to go without eating especially with the demands of school and growing. There have recently been a couple of incidents where he has also refused his main meal, I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it so just said I would keep if for him if he wanted it later (luckily he did). I don’t want him to also start refusing his main meal. He has had anxiety about eating in the past but this was linked to other triggers and I was always able to understand what was happening and support the other issues which then resolved the changes in eating (I.e. during his SATs he refused to eat but once finished he started eating again). This time there seems to be no apparent anxiety or distress for other reasons, which is why it is concerning me more. He is very happy and settled at school, I’ve tried talking with him gently that everybody needs energy from food at all times including in school to keep healthy and do the things we want to. I have gently asked why but he can’t explain to me why things have changed or why he refuses to eat foods he has eaten previously. He has poor interoception and I suggested he may not feel hungry but should still try and eat something. 

Should I be worried?
How can I best support my son?

What might explain this change in behaviour around food and eating?
Does anyone experience going long periods of time without eating and this works for them?

If you have read this far, thank you. 

Parents

  • I can see similarities between this and my own son which has caused us concern. When he was young he ate a lot of fruit. Now he eats only bananas and the only vegetables is baked beans. He also has phases of always wanting the same thing, then goes off it to something else for a while. This is particularly true for carbohydrates.

    My son also has periods when he eats very little. This can be linked to anxiety, or a period of exhaustion, although he wouldn't necessarily recognise that himself. We recently had got to the stage where we were going to suggest contacting the GP due to the small amount he was eating. We also checked that this wasn't related to a concern relating to weight, as he is not overweight. Then his appetite returned. If you were concerned, contacting your doctor's surgery could be considered to get advice.

    My son is now at college and often misses a meal, but manages until he is ready to eat a long while after. We do have snacks things around, so he can catch up later and if he isn't hungry at a mealtime and the meat product/ pizza can be eaten cold we cool it and put it in the fridge and he will eat it later. As someone who needs to eat 3 meals a day at fairly set intervals I find this difficult, but he manages. 

Reply

  • I can see similarities between this and my own son which has caused us concern. When he was young he ate a lot of fruit. Now he eats only bananas and the only vegetables is baked beans. He also has phases of always wanting the same thing, then goes off it to something else for a while. This is particularly true for carbohydrates.

    My son also has periods when he eats very little. This can be linked to anxiety, or a period of exhaustion, although he wouldn't necessarily recognise that himself. We recently had got to the stage where we were going to suggest contacting the GP due to the small amount he was eating. We also checked that this wasn't related to a concern relating to weight, as he is not overweight. Then his appetite returned. If you were concerned, contacting your doctor's surgery could be considered to get advice.

    My son is now at college and often misses a meal, but manages until he is ready to eat a long while after. We do have snacks things around, so he can catch up later and if he isn't hungry at a mealtime and the meat product/ pizza can be eaten cold we cool it and put it in the fridge and he will eat it later. As someone who needs to eat 3 meals a day at fairly set intervals I find this difficult, but he manages. 

Children
  • in reply to Homebird

    Hi, 

    thank you for your response. It’s reassuring to know that your son is similar and the situation resolved on its own. Likewise, my son seems to spend a long time eating the same snacks before he changes it to something else! 
    I have considered an appointment with the GP but not gone down that route yet for a couple of reasons. I thought as he is not loosing weight and there are several foods he is still eating they may not be able to do anything at the moment.  Also, the big reason is I didn’t want my son to feel it was an issue/problem and for him to become more stubborn and refuse more foods. Once when he was upset he said he was going on hunger strike (luckily he went to bed then forgot when he woke up, otherwise he would have!) and the other day when I tried to encourage him to eat more for breakfast because he probably wouldn’t eat lunch, he said he wouldn’t eat more breakfast and promised to eat his lunch instead. I don’t think he would have done this and don’t want to get into making bargains and a big deal about food because it will just make it more of an issue for him. If he drops another meal I would probably book an appointment. 
    It’s good to know your son misses meals and still manages to function ok so maybe my son is the same. I just can’t imagine feeling ok after not eating for so long.